Brookhaven Memories
by BlunderBoy
Summary: I have overhauled the chapters I had completed, just to make it a lot easier on the eyes, and currently typing out chapter 8. Juts got a bit busy, then my friend reminded me I had this going. Going to enjoy returning to it and hope you enjoy :
1. Sterile Sleeping Arrangements

**1**

"Dr. Paul Elliot to reception please. Dr. Paul Elliot to reception"

Paul awoke from his slumber at the call of his name. The same voice for the past five years had been calling his name. He still wished it wouldn't. Looking around the staff room he noticed all the other nurses and doctors were out on rounds, which made him wonder how long his call had been waiting. He got up and went to check himself in the cracked mirror. He looked rough. Unshaven, floppy brown hair and bags under his eyes that put the darkest tea bag to shame. He rummaged in his lab pocket for his glasses, but found his bad habit instead.

_To early to drink? Yeah, maybe just a little too early._

He rummaged in his other pocket and pulled out his glasses, rubbing them with his lab coat first, then neatly sliding the behind his ears.

"Dr. Paul Elliot to reception please. Dr. Paul Elliot to reception"

the voice sounded more agitated now, so the call must be important. He needn't worry though; reception was just around the corner, although it would have been more fun if he were on the second or third floor, then he could really drag it out.

He strolled out of the staff room, into the main foyer of the hospital. Beepers were going off everywhere and there was the usual hustle and bustle of doctors and nurses rushing about, patients wandering around like lost sheep, and of course children crying. He walked up the corridor, passing the GP's rooms, turned the corner and found Rosalyn staring steely eyes at him from behind reception.

"Hey Ros, did you call me, I couldn't be sure?"

He couldn't help but smirk as he delivered his line, but Rosalyn was quick with her tongue, as usual.

"Listen here Dr. Elliot, I don't need to take this bull from you, so just pick up the phone and get out of my face."

"Nice to see you too Ros!"

For a woman in her fifties, she sure was feisty. He leaned over the desk and grabbed the black receiver.

"Doctor Elliot speaking, may I ask who's calling?"

There was silence, and then a familiar voice played over the phone.

"Paul, its me, I just phoned to ask if you had found a place yet? I packed your stuff, you need to pick it up soon, or else I'm dumping it."

It was Helen, his wife, or should that be ex? The divorce wasn't final yet.

"Hey, yeah, I've found a place, I'll come pick up my stuff later today. Is that all?"

More silence

"No. I wanted to see how you were doing. Maybe I can come up to yours and we can talk?"

_I cant believe this…_

"Yeah, sure, you could do that. But hospital waiting rooms freak you out, so you wouldn't like my living room. I'll see you later."

With that he hung up the phone.

"Problems Dr. Elliot? Wife kicked you out has she? I've been wondering why you stay so late and get in so early. Is it because you live in the staff room?"

Paul threw Rosalyn a dirty look as he walked away.

_No, its never too early to start drinking…_

"We found him in the toilet, passed out. We think he was drinking. What more evidence do you need than the bottle we found next to him… yes Dr. Sullivan, we shall bring him up to your office. No Dr. Sullivan, no one else knows about his little problem. Right away Dr. Sullivan. Lets go Harry, we've to take the Doctor to Sullivan."

Paul's head was thumping. He opened his eyes, but all he could make out were blurry images. He sure as hell wasn't in the toilet stall anymore. The chair he was on felt so soft and comfy, he just wanted to go back to sleep. Then something moved. A blurry white shape, getting larger, coming closer.

"Paul, are you awake? How is your head? Sore I'm betting. That was quite a bit of alcohol you were drinking. Do you want to talk about it?"

It took Paul a second or two to realise that it was Dr. Sullivan, the hospital director, who was speaking.

"Uh, Dr. Sullivan, I can't see. What's wrong with my eyes?"

The blurry shape moved backwards and lowered, sitting at a desk Paul assumed.

"Its an eye mask Paul, you can take it off now."

Paul felt his eyes for the first time and instead of soft flesh he felt soft rubber. He pulled off the mask and the room became clear. He then realised that Sullivan know about his problem.

"Its nothing serious sir, honest. I've just being going through a bit of a rough patch. With the divorce and all…"

He could tell that Sullivan wasn't buying it.

"Paul, you know your one of our best doctors, but I cannot have an alcoholic on my team. Now, I'm willing to give you a second chance, but only if you promise to stop this. And one other thing. There is a new patient in ward C. Highly unstable, but I reckon you could work with him."

Paul sat upright at the words highly unstable.

"Why do you think I would be good to work with him? You know I'm not the best psychologist. Besides, my problem may interfere…"

Sullivan glanced over his half moon glasses.

"Now Dr. Elliot, you just agreed to quit that little problem. Plus, this patient is not like the others. He is just a boy. Lost someone very dear to him. You seem to be able to connect with patients like him. The only problem is, he is on suicide watch. That's why he is unstable. Here is his file."

Sullivan slid a brown folder across his desk. Paul went over to the mahogany table to get it when he noticed the name on the folder.

_Ethan… Why does that name seem so familiar? I don't know anyone called Ethan…_

"Okay Dr. Sullivan, I'll take a look at it. Has he been admitted yet?"

Sullivan looked up from the paper work he was looking over.

"Not yet Paul, later on today sometime. I'll send out a call for you once he arrives. That will be all, Dr. Elliot."

Sullivan looked back to his paper work. Paul took the file from the desk and left the office.


	2. Driving insanity home

**2**

The hospital van rumbled along the cobblestone side road. The driver couldn't help but glance into the back of the van. The body on the gurney was so still; you couldn't even tell if he was breathing.

The kid was highly unstable, or so the report had said. Self inflicted injuries, Night terrors and other stuff. The real question is how did he do it? There were never any items he could use to hurt himself. Also, one of the surveillance cameras of his room was freaky. The kid was hitting himself off of the walls, but his clothes looked like they were being gripped by something. And the way he moved… it was surreal.

The driver looked back into the van. The light had blown, so he couldn't see much. Why hadn't the guard turned on his torch? Something was moving back there though.

"Hey! Hey you back there. Everything o.k?"

_I can't stop the van…better just keep driving._

Suddenly the vans headlights went out, and he couldn't control the van. When the headlights came back on he didn't know where he was. The ground was mesh and at the side of the rose were poles, with limbs hanging from them.

"What's going on? Where am I?"

Suddenly he felt a presence in the passenger seat. He turned his head and it was the kid from the back of the van.

"You see it too, don't you? It's always like this for me. But you better be careful. It knows you don't belong here. It's going to get you. Keep your eyes on the road."

The driver didn't realise what the boy meant until the van hit the brick wall. Everything went dark. When he opened his eyes, everything was back to normal; he was driving on the road, pulling up to the hospital, and admitting the patient. Was it all a dream?

"That's the last time I transport a ward C patient!"


	3. Madness begins

**3**

Dr. Elliot had been sitting in the staff room, reading over the file and taking notes all afternoon. Ethan Hunt, seventeen years old, he looked a mess in his picture. His eyes had a look of desperation, His skin pale and sallow. Compared to the family picture taken a few months before he was admitted, you wouldn't believe it was the same kid. Suffers from night terrors and delusions. Self inflicts. It all seemed to begin when his sister Charlotte died. But Paul couldn't find any documents on a Charlotte Hunt. He glanced at his watch, quarter to seven.

_Ethan should be arriving soon._

Just at that moment the inter come spluttered to life.

"Dr. Paul Elliot to reception please. Dr. Paul Elliot to reception."

It was like déjà vu, but this time, instead of dilly dallying, Paul wanted to see this kid as soon as possible. He briskly walked down the hospital corridor back to reception, where Rosalyn was standing behind the counter again.

"Hey Ros, what rooms the kid in?"

Rosalyn looked up with confusion.

"What are you talking about Dr. Elliot? It's your wife on the phone, something about not picking up boxes? I'd say you're in deep bull Dr. Elliot."

_Ah, the boxes!_

Paul snatched the receiver off of its cradle.

"Helen, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot, I just got this new patient, top priority and-"

"Save it Paul. Your stuffs down at the dump. If you want it, you can go get it. As for the divorce papers, expect to receive them at the hospital in a few days. I'm sorry as well Paul; sorry we couldn't make this work. Good bye…"

The line went dead. Paul placed the receiver back on its cradle.

"I'm sorry Dr. Elliot, I really am."

Paul just shook his head and shuffled back down the corridor to the staff room. He slumped into the brown sofa, looking down at Ethan's file. He had highlighted everything that seemed necessary. The night terrors are what Paul worried about the most. They are usually only present in pre school children, which could hint that he had these when he was younger. The fact that he is going through a time of emotional distress could be what brought them back on. He would need to be observed, especially when he sleeps, but the fact that you can rarely bring patients out of their sleep was worrying. If things got too out of hand, he could prescribe Tofranil or benzodiazepine drugs such as Klonopin or Valium. That's not always the best route though. He took note of all this, wanting to clear it with Sullivan first. A course of psychotherapy could help as well.

"Dr. Paul Elliot to reception please. Dr. Elliot to reception."

_This time it has to be the kid. If it isn't I swear… _

Paul once again made the short trip to reception. Rosalyn was gone now, and the night receptionist was there instead. Janine, Janet… something like that.

"Oh, hello Dr. Elliot"

She spoke through her nose, which irritated Paul.

"Your new patient has just come in. He is in ward C, on the third floor. Room number 12."

Paul just nodded, not wanting to call her by the wrong name.

_Lifts or stairs, lifts or stairs…lift._

He really couldn't be bothered walking up the double staircases, besides, Dr. Kaufman had just entered the elevator and he wanted a word about his transfer. Dr. Kaufman was the director of the hospital in the Central part of the town, Alchemilla hospital.

"Hey, Dr. Kaufman, hold the door!"

Kaufman turned to greet Paul with a grin. He was around forty, with jet-black hair, and piercing blue eyes, as though he could see right into your soul.

"Ah, Dr. Elliot, so glad to see you. I hear you are taking on the Hunt case. It's a shame really; his father and mother can't be found anywhere. The school reported his absence, then the authorities found him. What floor, Dr. Elliot?"

Kaufman and Paul had entered the lift by now and Paul could see Kaufman was going to the second floor.

"Eh, the third, Dr. Kaufman. About my transfer I – "

"Yes, about that, I really don't think its wise to transfer you right now. Not until you have dealt with this case first, is that alright?"

Paul had been wanting out of Brookhaven for a while, but this new case really did seem to matter a lot.

"Sure Dr. Kaufman. I'll deal with this case first."

The elevator pinged to a stop at the second floor. As the doors slid open, Kaufman adjusted his tie then left the elevator.

The elevator rumbled up to the next floor and Paul stepped out into the corridor, his footsteps echoing. The double doors leading to ward C were down the corridor to his right and straight ahead the corridor led to the day room. He turned right and proceeded down the corridor.

The special treatment rooms lay in an offshoot to the right, but they were only for severe cases. _The padded walls give me the creeps. _He continued down the corridor, passing the door that led to the stairwell and eventually came to the double doors leading to ward C. The notice board next to the doors informed him that a nurse was currently on duty, handing out the medication.

_Which nurse though?_

He punched in the four-digit code and the door unlocked with a satisfying click. The ward C corridor was a little creepy as well. It was just like wards A and B with a shower and rest room, but it seemed to have a darker aura.

_Probably cause its full of loons. _

The lighting was dim as well, which gave it a creepier feeling. And room 12 was at the far end of the corridor! _Oh great, I have to pass all the weird ones first. At least I know there are other people in the ward. _Paul began his walk down ward C, moving at a quick pace. With any luck, the nurse would be nearly finished, he hated it when they had to open cells when he walked by.

_One, Two, Three, only another nine to go… Seven, Eight, Nine, what the hell?_

Room nine's door was open, and weak sobs could be heard from inside. Paul moved slowly towards the door, peering through the small window. There was a body on the bed, and a figure kneeling over it, crying. It looked like a nurse.

"Excuse me, nurse? What's the matter?"

He pushed the door open and noticed the scene was extremely wrong. The body on the bed was of a young woman, stripped to her underwear and throat slit. The figure bending over the bed was wearing the nurses uniform, but it was a thin, pale skinned male, with thin black hair covering his face. In his hand he held an empty syringe, dripping with blood and lumps of skin.

The patient turned to look at him, a menacing gaze, one that sent shivers down Paul's spine. He tried shouting for the guard that was supposed to be on duty, but his throat locked up.

Suddenly the patient sprung forward, dirty needle pointed at Paul's face. He screamed and suddenly fell backwards, squeezing his eyes shut. He hit a wall, waiting for the pain, but it never came. He opened them slowly and found himself staring at the shut and locked door of room nine. He moved forward and peered into the glass window. No dead nurse, no blood, only the patient of room nine, sleeping on the hard hospital bed.

"Doctor Elliot! Are you o.k.? I saw you fall backwards, what happened?"

Paul looked into the dark hazel eyes of the nurse.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just in a day dream. Thanks anyway nurse… "

"The names Jenny, your doctor Paul Elliot, no need for introductions."

Paul looked the young nurse up and down. She couldn't be older than 21, with rusty red hair, hazel eyes and a tanned complexion. She grinned a white, toothy smile.

"Who you looking for Paul? If it's the new patient, he is three doors up. See you around."

And with that she walked off into the darkness of ward C. Paul walked over to room 12, replaying what he had just saw. Was it real? Of course not. He was just tired. He inserted the key into the lock and turned it smoothly. The lights flickered on automatically, and there sat Ethan on his bed, looking like any normal teenager.


	4. Not so sweet dreams

**4**

He had watched the man picking the skin from the slit of the nurses neck, undressing her and putting on her uniform. He picked up the needle and licked it, whilst hungrily looking at the nurses limp body.

But the girl was still alive, the wound wasn't that deep. Then there was another man at the door, he looked like a doctor. The straggly man jumped at him, syringe aimed at his face, then the doctor fell backwards out of sight, but instead of the straggly man landing on the doctor he hit the ground.

Where had the doctor gone?

"Doctor Elliot, are you o.k.?"

Ethan snapped out of his dream as the nurse with the pretty eyes ran past his door. He must have dozed off, but that dream felt so real. Ethan could hear voices in the corridor, the nurses and a mans. Then it went quiet again. Ethan pulled his knees up to his chest, and gazed at the door. Then a young mans face appeared at the glass, the door unlocked and the doctor from the dream walked into his room.

"Hey there Ethan. I'm doctor Paul Elliot, I'm going to be your doctor."

Ethan stared at the man, wondering how he had ended up in his dream. They had never met and he sure couldn't feel anything bad emitting from him, so how had he got dragged in.

"Ethan, you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The doctor moved around the side of the bed and sat next to him.

"Okay Ethan, I just need to do a few tests, nothing too fancy though."

Ethan watched as the doctor pulled one of those eye examining things from his lab coat pocket.

"Okay Ethan, if you just stare into this for me, that's a good lad."

The light was hurting Ethan's eyes and he could feel them watering.

"Your quite a quiet kid Ethan. You don't want to ask me anything?"

The doctor put down his eye tool and stared into Ethan's now watery eyes.

"I won't tell anybody, it'll be just between you and me."

The doctor was trying to be nice, but Ethan didn't want to get him involved.

"That's okay Ethan, we'll have a chat tomorrow, after you've rested up a bit."

The doctor put the eye examiner back into his pocket and walked to the door.

"Um, doctor, did anything strange happen to you, out in the hall?"

The doctor turned and stared once more into Ethan's eyes, a stern look in them. They maintained eye contact for what seemed hours when the doctor broke into a grin,

"No Ethan, what makes you think that?"

Ethan shrugged

"Its just I heard the nurse shout your name, I thought something was the matter."

"No no, Ethan, I just tripped. We'll talk tomorrow, you rest up now."

Ethan could tell he was lying. Maybe the doctor was scared that Ethan thought he was a freak? He could always ask the doctor tomorrow. The lights flickered out, leaving Ethan sitting alone in the dark, contemplating sleep. Ethan felt his eyelids shutting, he was falling backwards, but he didnt want to.

He opened them slowly and he was back there.

The rusty mesh wire for walls, the distant screams, the steady beats of fans, and the stagnant smell of death. Then he saw her. The nurse from before, lying on the table, dying slowly. Ethan walked over and looked into her pale face, splattered with blood. Then the crimson line around her neck. She lay in her underwear, and Ethan couldnt help but wonder where the creep had gone.

"Excuse me, nurse. Can you hear me?"

The nurses eyes flickered, then opened slowly.

"Who are you? Are you going to finish me off?"

Ethan shook his head.

"I want to help you. I just need to know how you got here. Where abouts in the hospital are you?"

The nurse looked confused.

"What do you mean? The last thing I remember was lying down in the nurses station..."

Ethan grabbed the nurses wrist.

"Ok, your in the nurses station, which floor?"

The nurse murmered three.

"Okay miss, we have to move before that creep comes back."

the nurse looked horrified at the idea.

"No, we can't, theres more than just one. They are every where, and I ran for so long."

The nurse shut her eyes.

"No, we have to get moving." Ethan tried to grab the nurse into an up right position, but she flopped back down. He needed help. He needed doctor Elliot.


	5. The nightmare begins

**5**

Paul was sitting once again in the staff room. Ethan seemed like a good kid, unusually quiet for a new patient. And the fact he asked if anything had happened made Paul question if it was a day dream. Was Ethan there? No, he couldn't have been. Paul lay on the grubby green sofa and shut his eyes, wanting a good nights rest.

He was back in the staff room. But it was different. The walls were covered in rust, and the floor was mesh. The sofa was stained with blood, and he could hear screams in the distnace. What kind of dream am I having? It looks like my day dream. Maybe its the alcohol. Paul headed for the door that led into the hallway. It was jammed.

"Whats wrong with this door? Whats wrong with my head!"

He turned on his heels and spotted the door leading to the examination room. _Please be open!_

Paul slipped through the examination room door quietly. This room was just as bad as the last. There was a gaping hole in the mesh floor, with trolleys strewn around the side of it. There was also a hole in the mesh floor above him.

Paul walked cautiously further into the room. Some of the trolleys seemed to have blood on them. Suddenly a screamed echoed from the hole above him. Paul glanced up and saw a trolley hanging over the edge. Were the screams coming from that? Suddenly the trolley tipped and Paul caught a quick glimpse of a body attached to the trolley. Its face was a picture of agony, its stomach ripped out and intestines hanging around by its knees. It clashed onto the ground, then rolled into the hole on his floor. The screams died into the darkness. Then more screams, but not human ones. They sounded like chimps, screaming with joy. Then the door opened across from him, and in walked that thing from earlier on.

Its tongue hanging down by its jaw, saliva running down its chin, its eyes dark and menacing.

It took a shaky step forward and another, then launched itself across the room, clearing the hole. Paul stumbled backwards, tripping, landing hard on his back.

_This is it, I'm gonna die, in my sleep._

Then his hand touched something round and smooth, and as the creep pounced, he swung.

Paul stood above the crumpled heap. It looked like the patient in that room, but that was impossible. The metal pole worked well against his assailiant.

_Now to find a way out of here. _

Paul headed for the door leading into the corridor. He made sure to keep as far away from the pit as possible, he didnt want to know what was down there, at least not by falling down it. Out in the corridor things were pretty much the same, but made worse by the numerous bloddy handprints across the walls. Also, the flourescent bulbs were red, be it from them coated in blood or otherwise. He walked around the corner to reception, which to his dissapointment had no receptionist. There was a book though. Written in red ink? No, not red ink... blood.

_How did I get here? One minute I was taking a nap in the nurses office, the next thing I'm here, being chased by the hospitals patients. No, they arent the patients, they are something worse than that. They arent human. This has never happened before. I've taken plenty of naps in the hospital before. But they are coming, I can hear them screeching for me. To anyone else who ends up in this nightmare, I offer you one bit of advice. Run. Run and don't look back._

Paul placed the book back on the counter. Could the nurse from earlier have wrote that? If so, she must still be here, I have to find her. That means heading to the second floor. Paul started for the lift, but stopped in his tracks. Was that a girl? It looked like a young girl, in a blue dress. He glanced over his shoulder, but nothing. He turned the next corner and saw the lift. Then he watched in horror as the lift doors opened. _They know how to use lifts? This is unbelievable. At least I'll die fighting._ Paul took the same stance he took when batting for baseball. The doors slid open, but all that he could see was the lifts grungy interior. Then a boys head poked out from the side.

_Ethan? _

"Ethan! Is that you? It's me, doctor Elliot."

Ethan ran out of the lift and straight towards the doctor, a look of hope in his eyes.

"Doctor, you got to come to the second floor. Theres an injured nurse."

Ethan was pulling at Elliots sleave.

"Woah, hold up Ethan, how did you get here?"

Ethan looked at the doctor, frustration dancing across his face.

"I'll explain that later doctor, but for now, we got to help the nurse."

Ethan ran into the elevator, dragging Paul with him.

A grate smashed down behind them, locking them in the elevator.

"Ethan, tell me, how did you get here?"

Ethan looked into the doctors eyes, Paul couldnt twell what the boy was thinking.

"Its all my fault Doctor Elliot. This is what happens when I sleep, everywhere turns like this, and now its dragging other people here. My mind does things, bad things... Ive hurt so many people, and I didnt think I would here. But this town... theres something wrong with it. Its just made things worse.."

Paul looked into Ethans eyes, and as far as he could tell, Ethan meant what he was saying. The lift came to an abrupt halt, the cage shot open and Ethan dragged Paul out into the hall.

"Come on, I can't let her die. Not here."

Ethan ran on into the dark C ward, with Paul trailing behind him, thinking over what his young patient just told him.


	6. What happened?

**6**

Jenny couldn't understand anything. She had been folding her uniform into her locker when something hit her from behind. When she woke up she was strapped to an operating table, in the upstairs day room. Luckily her nail file was in her uniform pocket.

_My uniform? I took this off, didn't I? Who the hell did this to me?_

Jenny managed to cut herself lose and glanced around the day room. Everything seemed normal, if a little quite. The lights were out aswell. She strode over to the door and rattled them. Locked. The only other way out was through a window, but she didn't want to risk jumping out of the second floor. Besides, her keys must still be in her uniform. She rummaged in her pocket and found her key chain, with only two keys on it. One for the day room and another for the staff room on the first floor.

_Whoever did this to me obviously took my keys, and is playing some sick game. Well, I'll just have to alert security at the main desk._

The key turned smoothly in the lock and Jenny stepped out into the corridor. The lights were out here aswell… She reached over and flicked the switch up and down a few times. Nothing.

_Hmmmm. Maybe the circuit blew, or something. Oh well, its only dark._

She reached over and tried to open the doors that led to the elevator. It was locked aswell.

_Shit! Now I have to walk down the corridor… in the dark…_

Jenny brushed herself down and took a deep breath. _Nothing to worry yourself about Jenny. Just breath._ She took a three steps forward and stopped when she heard a noise. It sounded like a door opening further down the corridor. But that's impossible, all the doors are locked. Another few steps and she heard it again, accompanied with a high pitched giggle.

"Um, hello? Is someone there?"

Jenny reached into her pocket and pulled out the small torch used for checking patients eyes and shone it down the corridor a bit. What was that?

"Hello? Excuse me, but this is a restricted ward, you cant be in here unless- What the hell?"

Jenny stared a few feet in front of her at the hunched figure shaking and covered in cuts. It looked like Bert, one of the patients, but she couldn't be sure.

"Um, Bert, is that you? How did you get out?"

Suddenly he snatched forward and grabbed her arm, and looked into her eyes. Jenny stifled a cry. He stared into her eyes, a look of glee in his. Then his other hand shot forward and slashed her arm. Jenny cried out and managed to get her arm out of his clutches. Bert rose slowly, and began to speak.

"You better be careful. Its finally here. Our saviour. And no one shall stop it. Not you. Or that doctor. Don't even try to stop us…"

"Bert, I don't understand… what doctor? Who's coming?"

"Don't worry Jenny, you'll understand soon. But I shall give you a word of warning. Stay out of our road. You cant hurt us. Oh, yes. It would be in your best interest to find the doctor aswell. But remember… you cannot stop us."

Bert turned and stalked down the corridor and walked into the recess where the elevator was. Jenny held her hand over her cut arm, wondering what Bert was talking about. She rummaged in her pocket and found a sterile bandage and wrapped it round her arm then walked down the corridor to the lift. Bert had dropped his knife. Jenny picked it up, just encase he showed up again. Now, to find this doctor…


	7. World inside worlds inside worlds

**7**

The door rattled under Ethan's hands, the shrill squeals of those things making him shiver. He glanced over his shoulder at Dr. Elliot, wondering how long it was going to take. He had been bandaging that nurse up for a few good minutes now. The wounds must have been deeper than Ethan thought.

"Almost done Ethan, your doing great. Just keep these things out for a little longer and we'll be fine. Now, where did you say the nurse was in the real world?"

Elliot glanced over his shoulder quickly, glad of the doctors reassurance. _He is trained to do that though, so don't feel too special. If you think you've made a new friend, your crazier than everyone thinks._

"Ethan? Ethan? Snap out of it kiddo."

Ethan opened his eyes and stared at the doctor. "Um, the nurse office or something. On the third floor. Why?" Elliot looked back up from the girl, opening his mouth a few times, as if to speak.

_He's going to leave you Ethan, you know it, I know it, and even that woman knows it. Haven't you learned, eeeeeeevryone leaves you?_

"Because Ethan, when we wake up, we are going to go up to the nurses station together and wake her up."

Ethan sighed a breath of relief. The door shuddered under his arms again as the thing on the other side pounded at the door. _No ones leaving me … I'll be fine. Why wont this thing give up?_ Suddenly Dr. Elliot let out a cry of fright. Ethan turned his head and noticed that the girl was gone.

"Where'd she go? Doctor Elliot?"

"I don't know Ethan. One minute I was feeling for a pulse, and then she just … vanished. Okay, we have to find her. We need to somehow get back to our world. When I say go, I want you to let go of the door, okay?"

"Doctor Elliot are you mad!"

"No … and you can call me Paul, Ethan."

Ethan watched as Paul stood like the baseball players do, and raised the metal pole up behind his right shoulder. The words go erupted from his mouth, and as Ethan let go of the door it flew open, knocking him back against the wall. He lay on the ground and watched as the patient beast flew through the air, and Paul took a swung. Then another came through … and another … and another …

Ethan woke with a jolt. He was back in his room. Back in the real world. _Paul … I left him! I left him with those beasts. _Then the other voice began to creep in. _Aw you left him, makes a change of them leaving you. Wonder what's happened to your friend. You could always check the first floor staff room…_

Ethan sprang off his bed and started rattling at his door. "Hey, someone help! Someone open the door!" He glanced through the window and then realised it was all wrong. The corridor didn't feel right. He wasn't back in the real world. He didn't know where he was …


End file.
